Combined lid opener and hinge for cans



Jan-.2, 1923.

1,440,925. E. B. McCOMAS.

COMBINED LID OPENER AND HINGE FOR CANS. FILED SEPT-7,1920- I EUE.EE.1 I F Elm-nae! Patented Jan. 2, l923.

PATENT QFFHQEQ EUGENE B. MGCO'MAS, OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

COMBINED LID OPENER AND HINGE FOB CANS.

AppIication filed September '7, 1920. Serial No. 408,565.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE B. MoCoMAs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo and State of New Mexico, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Combined Lid Openers and Hinges for Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for containers, and the primary object of the invent-ion is to provide an improved device for effectively lifting lids off of containers and v for holding the lids connected to the con tainers so as to prevent loss or displacement thereof' i Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment class generally utilized for shoe polish and the like, in which not only means is provided for raising the lid from the body of the container but for also hingedly connecting the same to the body, so that the lid will be permanently connected to the body and yet be permitted to be thrown laterally and out of the way of the body.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing the attachment to the container body and lid, so that the necessity of puncturing the lid for the reception of fastening elements and the like is eliminated, thereby preventing the entrance of air into the container and rendering the same practically air tight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can which can be efiectively used for whitening for shoes and the like embodying a. body for the whitening cake, and a lid, which has means for facilitatitng the removal thereof from the body, and which is adapted to be swung laterally of the body and parallel therewith for forming a container for the reception. of water and the cleaning sponge or cloth, when the can is in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for raising the lids of shoe polish cans and the like which will be positive in operation and which will c'easy and simple to manufac for containers of the ture, and which can be incorporated with a can at a minimum expense.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which drawings:

Figure 1 1s a perspective view of a can showing the improved attachment applied thereto. t

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the can with the attachment applied thereto, the attachment being shown in front elevation.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a can with the improved attachment, the attachment being shown in edge elevation.

Figure a is a View similar to Figure 3 illustrating the lid of the container in its raised or open position, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the sliding yoke utilized for raising the lid and the blank for forming the thumb piece therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates a container and B the improved attachment therefor.

The container A may be of any preferred construction or configuration but is shown to be of that type generally utilized for shoe polish and the like, in which the lid is fitted tightly to the body so as to form a practically air tight joint to prevent the drying out of the contents of the can. The container A as shown includes the body 10 and the lid 11, and as usual in the ordinary construction, the body 10 is provided with the annular outstruck bead 12 for limiting the downward movement of the lid 11 on the body 10.

The improved attachment B may be secured at any point around the circumference of the can A that may be desired and this attachment comprises an upper strap 15 and a lower strap 16. These straps 15 and 16 may be formed of the same quality of material from which th can A is constructed,

25 is secured tothe same.

thumb of, theuser is lift the lid 11 off of the To eliminate the use of fastening elements and the like, in securing the fastening straps 15 and 16 to the container A, .the same are soldered, welded, brazed or secured in an analogous manner to the container.

The upper strap 15 is secured to the upper J'nember of the lid 11 and projects radially beyond the edge thereof and has its free outer end rolled to provide the hinge barrel 17, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more specifically described.

The lower strap 16 is secured to the outer sru'face ot the side wall of the body 10 of the can, and has the body portion 18 thereof bent laterally and then upwardly in spaced parallel relation to the side wall of the can. The upper edge of the body portion 18 terminates substantially in alignment with the upper edge of the body 10 and is bent at right angles to provide the upper grip or finger piece 19. The side edges of the body portion" 18 of the lower strap 16 are extended and coiled to provide guide eyes 20 for the reception of the sliding yoke or bail 21 which will be now described.

The yoke or bail 21 is formed from a relatively thick wire or the like which is bent to form a substantially rectangular open frame or yoke defining-the side rods 22 and the connecting cross bar The lower end of the rectangnlar frame or yoke 21 is bent at right angles to form a foot 24., and shown the tern'ii'nals of thewire which is utilized for forming the open f 'ame or yoke terminates at this point. This foot'24forms the lower grip orfinger piece and to facilitate the movement thereof, a finger grip This finger grip 25 is preferably'formed of blank sheet metal and is provided with laterally extending wings 26 which are bent around the foot. This blank is clearly shown in Figure 5 of thedrawings. The side rods 22 are slidably mounted in the guide eyes 20 for free sliding movement and the foot 2 1 which forms the lower grip is disposed directly below and parallel with the upper grip 19. The upper bar 23 is disposed in the hinged barrel 1? and forms the pintle for the hinge so as to permit the free hinging movement of the lid 11, when necessary.

ln operation of the improved attachment B3, when it is desired to raise the lid 11, the placed below the lower finger grip? 2%, while the fore fiiger is placed on the upper surface of the upper finger grip 19. Then pressure is applied to the finger'grips', which will effectively raise the yoke or rectangular frame 21 and bring the finger grips toward each other. The raising movement of the fra1ne21 will effectively body 10. It is then merely necessary to swing thelid 11 b'ackon thenpper rod 23' which forms the pint-1e for the hinge. The contents of the box can then be readily used and the lid is prevented from being lost while at the same time out of the way of the user of the can. The can is also especially adapted for use for cleaning white shoes, and when a whitening cake is placed in the body of the can, it can be seen that thelid 11 oan be swung laterally and parallel with the body. The lid can then form a receptacle for the water and the cleaning sponge and thus eliminate the necessity of the use of a saucer or the like. a a

From the foregoing description, it can be, seen that an exceptionally simple device has been provided for raising the lid of a shoe polish box from the body thereof and for hingedly associating the lid therewith.

Changes in details may be made; without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

1* claim:

1-. The combination with a container comprising a body, and, a lid, of a lid-lifting attachment comprising a guide secured to the body, a sliding; yoke associated with the guide, means for securing the yoke to the lid, and finger grip pieces formed on the yoke and the guide. v

2. The combination with a container including a body and a lid, of an attachment therefor including a guide secured to the body, a sliding yoke carried by the guide, means for hingedly connecting the yoke with the lid, and finger grip pieces formed on the; yoke and guide;

3. The combination with acan comprising a body and a: top, of an attachment thereforincluding; a guide. secured to the body, asliding yoke carried by the guide, means for hingedly connecting the upper end of the yoke to the top, 'a right angular extending finger piece formed on the upper 'end of the guide, and a right angular extending finger piece formed onthe lower end of the yoke.

l. The combination with a can including a body and a lid, of an attachmenttherefor including anupper strap secured to the lid and projecting radially therefrom, a lowerstrap secured to the body directly below'said upper strap, guideeyes formed on said lower strap, a slidn'ig frame carried by said eyes, means.- for linigedly connecting the upper'end of the frame with the upper strap, and right angularly extending finger pieces formed on the lower strap and sliding frame.

5. The combination with a container including a body and a lid, of an attachment therefor comprising an upper strap secured to the lid and: projecting. radially therefrom, a lower strapsecuredato the outer surface of the side wall of the body and terminating in; alignment with the upper edge thereof, guide eyes formed on the sides of the permitting the lid to be disposed laterally of the body and parallel therewith, and a .right angularly extending foot formed on i the lower end of the frame and disposed directly below the right angularly extending finger piece formed on the upper end of the lower strap.

EUGENE B. MQCOMAS. 

